Study Journalism at university: All you need to know

A Journalism degree will train you to work as a Journalist. You will learn a range of skills, from how to spot a good story, to how to conduct an interview, and how to present information in creative and informative ways.

Journalists work in all sorts of environments - from war zones, to celebrity events - and produce reports about the world we live in. A degree in Journalism will give you the skills needed to succeed in this challenging but exciting career.

Find Journalism programmes at universities in Europe

✍️ What is Journalism?

Put simply, Journalism is the practice of finding out information about current events and producing reports about it. Journalism provides factual information about people, places, politics and culture. Journalistic reports appear in different formats, including in newspapers, magazines, television shows, radio reports, podcasts, and websites.

Those who work as Journalists gather information about current affairs, through interviews and research, and present it to the public.

There are many different types of Journalists, and those working in the industry can develop specialisms that best suit them. For example, perhaps you see yourself working as a Foreign Correspondent, a magazine Feature Writer, or a Celebrity Interviewer.

The academic study of Journalism aims to provide students with the skills needed to work in this competitive field. A degree in Journalism will teach you how to research information, as well as how to write news stories and features, and you will also learn multimedia skills, such as how to produce photography and video. On top of this, you’ll learn about Media Law, Politics, Data Journalism, and how to work with press officers and organisations.

Many Journalism courses place a heavy emphasis on the practical skills needed to do the job, giving you the confidence to do seemingly daunting tasks like approach people, ask questions, and write pieces that not everyone will agree with or like.

🏆 The best universities for Journalism in 2024

University rankings can be helpful when choosing a university. Below you find a selection of some of Europe’s best universities to get a Journalism degree according to the QS World University Rankings.

Rank in Europe	Rank in the World	Institution	Country
1	1	University of Amsterdam	Netherlands
2	2	London School of Economics and Political Science	United Kingdom
3	10	University of Vienna	Austria
4	12	University of Cambridge	United Kingdom
5	16	Goldsmiths, University of London	United Kingdom
6	23	Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München	Germany
7	25	University of Zurich	Switzerland
8	27	King's College London	United Kingdom
9	34	Freie Universitaet Berlin	Germany
10	34	University of Leeds	United Kingdom

📝 Universities that offer Journalism programmes in English

Journalism is a popular subject and offered at many universities and journalism schools all over Europe. But as it is usually tied to the local press and media, those degrees tend to be offered in the local language. Below is a selection of universities that offer Journalism degrees taught in English:

 

Universities that offer Bachelors in Journalism:

• Anglo-American University, Prague (Czechia)
• University of Kent (United Kingdom)

Find Bachelors in Journalism

 

Universities that offer Masters in Journalism:

• Linnaeus University (Sweden)
• Malmö University (Sweden)
• Stockholm University (Sweden)
• University of Kent (United Kingdom)
• Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania)

Find Masters in Journalism

🖋️ What do you learn in a Bachelor’s or Master’s in Journalism?

If you think a degree in Journalism is all about writing, think again. A degree in this subject will be varied and cover a range of topics. Some modules you might cover as part of an undergraduate or postgraduate Journalism degree include:

• Core journalistic skills: Most Journalism courses at undergraduate level have a core module which will cover the essential journalistic skills of news gathering and reporting. This module could also give you an overview of the media industry.
• Breakdown of journalistic methods: Many courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate level will look at different types of Journalism and teach you the practical skills needed to be a Journalist. For example, you could have a feature writing module, a module that teaches you how to produce radio reports, and a video journalism module. Some courses will also have a module on interviewing.
• Journalism Ethics: Journalists have to make decisions about what to cover and how to cover it. An ethics module places Journalism in its wider context and explores the types of ethical issues Journalists can come across, such as how to treat interviewees fairly and how to report in a fair and balanced way.
• Media Law: A good Journalism course will likely cover Media Law, such as when sources should be given anonymity, as well as laws around privacy, licencing, copyright and libel.
• Social Media and Data Journalism: Over time, advancements in technology have led to new digital tools being used to aid and produce Journalism. In a Journalism degree you’ll likely learn how to use social media platforms, such as Twitter and Instagram, in a professional way. Many Journalism courses also teach students how to engage with communities online, as well as Data Journalism techniques, such as using data tools and producing data visualisations.
• Entrepreneurial Journalism: Recent changes in the media industry and the wider workforce have meant many more Journalists are working as Independent Journalists and Freelancers, or building their own businesses and startups. You may study a module on this as part of your Journalism degree.

Find the Journalism programme that suits your needs

📚 Do you even need a degree to become a Journalist?

You don’t need to have a degree to become a Journalist. However, a degree can help you to stand out to employers. It can also teach you the wide variety of skills needed to work in the field, and connect you with others working in the industry.

Journalism is highly competitive, especially if you want to work for large media outlets. A formal education is not the only factor that will secure you a sought-after role, but it will probably help.

A Journalism degree, especially at postgraduate level, can also give you a wide network of professional contacts. This includes your course lecturers and their contacts, but most importantly all of your fellow students, who also want to go on to work as Journalists and could end up as your colleagues.

It’s up to you to consider whether you feel embarking a Journalism degree is worth it, but many feel studying the subject can give you valuable skills.

🎓 Should you study Journalism as a Bachelor’s or a Master’s?

You can study journalism as either a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree. But you don’t need to study Journalism at both levels. An undergraduate degree will be longer and might cover a broader range of topics.

A Master’s course might be more practical and focus on helping you to get your foot in the door of the industry if you have a background in another field. Many Journalists study a different degree first and then study a Journalism Master’s after that.

In theory you can study a Journalism Master’s after any undergraduate degree, but popular undergraduate courses which could compliment a Journalism Masters include Politics, History, Economics, International Relations, or Foreign Languages.

🌍 Why should you study Journalism abroad?

Studying Journalism abroad could help you to stand out in a competitive industry. It shows that you are independent and able to navigate a new culture. If you study in a different country it also opens you up to new perspectives, and helps you to improve your language skills - whether that’s English, or local languages, if you’re not in an English-speaking country.

Studying Journalism abroad can be a particularly good idea if you are interested in becoming a Foreign Correspondent. Foreign Correspondents live abroad and report on the country they live in for newspapers or news sites back home.

How the work looks will be different depending on where you are based - some Foreign Correspondents will work as War Correspondents, for example, while others may spend more time reporting on politics, or on the local tourism industry.

If this type of work appeals to you then it might be a good idea to study abroad, as this can give you the opportunity to live and study in another country and open you up to jobs there.

💼 Career perspectives: What to do with a degree in Journalism?

Is a career as a journalist the right choice for me?

Journalism can be an exciting and rewarding career - but it’s not for everyone. Some of the skills good Journalists have include:

• Critical thinking skills.
• The ability to be resourceful and think on your feet.
• The ability to adapt and be flexible.
• Creativity and independence.
• Good communication and listening skills.

If you work as a Journalist, you’ll also need to meet tight deadlines, build relationships with contacts, and conduct interviews. But if that sounds daunting, don’t worry. Many people develop these skills on the job and a degree in Journalism will help to build them.

Many Journalists are drawn to the profession because they’re interested in news and current affairs. They may be passionate about a particular issue, or issues, and want to play a part in improving the world around them.

If this sounds like you, then perhaps Journalism could be a good career for you. However, be warned - it’s not a standard 9-5 job. You may have to work at odd hours to cover breaking news as it happens and to meet tight deadlines. It’s also not the most well paid career and can be competitive and stressful.

Some people may benefit from keeping information hidden. So some stories take a degree of boldness and bravery to investigate and report on. Journalism can even be a dangerous career in some parts of the world.

To many people this might sound like more hassle than it’s worth. However, there are a lot of different types of Journalist, so don’t be put off too quickly.

What kind of job roles do Journalists have?

Not every Journalist is the same. Here are a few of the different types of roles you could have as a Journalist working in the media industry:

• News Reporter: This role is one of the most common and may be what many people picture when they think of a Journalist. It’s a Reporter’s job to dig around to find good stories, interview people, and to produce news reports to inform people about them.
• Feature Writer: Features are longer pieces that delve into a topic in more depth. You may be given a longer deadline and be expected to talk to a greater amount of people to explore an issue.
• Specialist Correspondent: A correspondent is a specialist who reports and writes features on a specific topic - for example, most newspapers have a Health Correspondent and an Education Correspondent.
• Foreign Correspondent: This is a reporter who is based abroad and writes news stories and features about that country for people back home. It could be a dangerous role, depending on where you’re based. Some Foreign Correspondents, but not all, will have to cover war or conflict, for example.
• Editor: An editor is often a more senior role, and involves commissioning writers and reporters and working with them to edit and improve copy.

💪 Getting experience during your studies

Getting writing experience - or multimedia experience, if that’s what you’re interested in - is crucial. You’ll need it to snag a place on a Master’s course and you’ll almost certainly need it to secure a sought-after role in Journalism. Work experience can also be a way to help fund your studies and to earn a living while you are on the course.

There are lots of different ways to gain experience. For example, you could:

• Get experience through your degree: Some university Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes in Journalism will have a built in work experience requirement. As part of the course you will have to spend a few weeks on work experience and your tutor will help you to find somewhere to go. Even if it’s not an official part of the course, your university tutors will likely share opportunities with you.
• Start self-publishing: This can be a good way to practice your skills and showcase some of your work. So, for example, you could start a newsletter or blog, or post on self-publishing platforms like Medium. Or you could create videos for YouTube, or set up a podcast with a friend, depending on the direction you want to go in later.
• Write for a student, university, or community magazine: This is a common way to gain experience and to showcase your work and demonstrate your interests. Many universities, or communities, have a local paper or magazine. You can write different kinds of stories and see what aspects of Journalism you enjoy.
• Contact newspapers and other media organisations: Newspapers, magazines, TV and radio shows, and other outlets will sometimes take on students for a few weeks of work experience. This is a great chance to see how Journalism works in the real world.

❓ How is a Journalism degree different from Communication Studies?

A degree in Communication Studies may have some similarities to a Journalism course. Both will focus on the media, and on writing and producing reports. However, Communication Studies is not explicitly designed to train people to be Journalists. A communications degree may also cover advertising and technical communication, as well as journalistic writing.

A degree in PR and Corporate Communication is also similar, but the focus is on corporate communications and public relations, rather than the practice of working as a Journalist. Graduates might go on to work for an agency, or in-house for a company or organisation, and will work with Journalists, but not as Journalists themselves.

A degree in Media Studies will look at the media more broadly, covering these different elements, but is often less focused on learning the practical skills needed to work as either a Journalist or a Public Relations professional.

💭 Top reasons to study Journalism:

Journalism can be a rewarding and interesting career. As a Journalist you could meet lots of different and inspiring people, ask questions you’ve always wanted to know, and produce your own articles, features, videos, or reports.

Here are some of the best reasons to pursue a degree in Journalism:

1. Learn valuable skills: You’ll learn how to interview and write, as well as how the world around you works. You’ll be able to delve deeper into the news and current affairs. Whatever you go on to do, these are useful skills.
2. Meet interesting people: Whatever you study, you’ll probably make some friends on your course. But with a Journalism degree you’ll also meet all sorts of different people as part of your journalism practice, and get to ask them stupid questions.
3. Never stop learning: Journalism is rarely a boring profession, and the same is true of a Journalism degree. You may be sent out on assignment and will be covering new topics and stories every day.
4. Learn how to create valuable work: You’ll learn how to produce content and gain the skills and confidence to share your ideas, creativity, opinions, and values with the world.
5. Prepare for a meaningful career: As a student Journalist you can report from student protests, as well as find the stories that aren’t already being told and be the one to tell them. You can then graduate to an interesting and meaningful career in Journalism.

🤔 What are similar subjects I can study?

• PR and Corporate Communications: this is a degree that will prepare you to work in Public Relations. You’ll learn how to help organisations secure media coverage, by working with journalists and the media.
• Politics or International Relations: these degrees would give you increased knowledge about how the world works and could help prepare you for a career in Journalism, Politics, or International Development.
• Literature or Creative Writing: If you like writing and telling stories, then a literature or creative writing course could be most suited to your interests.

 

Look for Journalism degree programmes at universities in Europe

158 Journalism Programmes in Europe